KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The 2014 national finalist Marian University football team sits in a tie with defending national champion Southern Oregon atop the 2015 NAIA Football Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll, the national office announced this afternoon.

The Knights and Raiders tied with 304 total points, while Southern Oregon received eight first-place votes and the Knights received five first-place votes. Morningside (Iowa) sits at No. 3 with 289 points, while Carroll (Mont.) and MU's week one opponent Saint Xavier (Ill.) tied at No. 4 with 277 points. Carroll received the final first-place vote.

Grand View (Iowa) sits at No. 6, while Lindsey Wilson (Ky). is at No. 7, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) is ranked No. 8, Missouri Valley is at No. 9 and Faulkner (Ala.) rounds out the top 10.

The ranking is the 52nd all-time mention in the poll for the Knights and marks the 12th straight poll in which MU has been ranked. The Knights closed the 2014 season ranked No. 2 and opened the spring season also at No. 2. The Knights have been ranked in the top five 27 times since the program's inception in 2007 and the top billing is the 10th time in program history that MU has been ranked No. 1 in the nation.

MU had a streak of 40 consecutive polls snapped in 2013, but currently carries a streak of 12 straight polls and has been ranked at least once in each of the last six seasons.

The Knights will open the 2015 campaign on Saturday, August 29 when they head to Chicago, Ill., for a showdown with No. 4 Saint Xavier (Ill.) at Deaton Field. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. Eastern time and the game will air LIVE on Catholic Radio Indianapolis 89.1 FM WSPM and 90.9 FM WSQM beginning at 6:45 p.m. Eastern.

MU opens the 2015 home season on Saturday, September 12 with the first-ever meeting with the University of Indianapolis in the Monumental Matchup presented by Indiana Members Credit Union at St.Vincent Field. Kickoff for that game is slated for 6 p.m. and the game will be televised LIVE on Hometown Sports and News (HTSN) in Indianapolis.

Check back to MUKNIGHTS.com for more information on media partnerships for the 2015 season.